How NOT to Quit Your Job

I once worked at Synapse Technologies, a growing tech firm with headquarters in Austin. I was relatively young when I worked there - I celebrated my 23rd and 24th birthdays while an employee at "Synap" as we often said - and I didn't know much about the dynamics within a scaling tech company when I started. I have many stories from my time there, but for now I’ll just say that when I left, I didn't handle that as professionally as I would suggest to others (though I do not regret my actions).

As background, here’s a quote from Steve Jobs, that stayed with me and mirrored my situation:

"The only way to do great work is to love what you do."

The first time I read these words, I actually stopped in the middle and took the time to note that quote on some loose paper that was lying around. This weekend, I came across that slip of paper in the mess of my basement. It inspired me to write this post.

In case you’re wondering, the quote is relevant because it reflects my character; I tend to pursue projects that align with my passions, and I either motivate others to join me, or I continue independently, regardless of their choice. It is both a defining characteristic and a source of constant, though manageable, irritation. This is a roundabout way of saying the developing corporate structure at Synap, at that time, was to me what a tiny cage is to an animal. So I left.

My manager at Synapse - we'll call him Elias - was probably the best boss anyone could hope for. He was demanding, but he brought a lightheartedness to our section of the office that Michael Scott (of TV’s “The Office” fame) tries and fails to do. So when I left, I held no resentment towards Elias, or towards my fellow employees. As for upper level managers and the ubiquitous VPs…no comment.

When I left Synap, I felt that a little “screw you” was in order, so I wrote to all my friends and acquaintances in the office. It was a farewell email that basically said “I’m outta here and if you’re smart you will be too.” I love speaking in quotes - or at least I do it quite a bit - so I rounded out my message to my cohorts in the cage with a quote from the Eagles (the band, not the football team):

“So often times it happens that we live our lives in chains, and we never even know we have the key. But me, I’m already gone…and I’m feelin’ strong.”

They loved me for that one. So much so that they let me take off on the last day of my 2-week notice period (I was smart enough to offer them that) with pay. I think they may have known that they had a troublemaker on their hands and wanted to avoid a big send-off for someone they saw as, well, a bit of a pain. Also, I was busy reviewing and polishing the resumes of at least 5 or 6 colleagues during those final two weeks, so maybe they were worried those resumes were too good.

I’m still happy with the nature of my exit from Synap, but only because I know I’ll never need those references in the future. Which brings me to my point - if there's ANY possibility that you might need a reference from the company you’re leaving, I would suggest not taking my “piss off everyone at your old company” approach to leaving. It may not work out so well for you. What I would recommend is the following:

• Give 2 weeks notice

• Work as hard as you normally would through your final 2 weeks

• Don’t write a farewell email unless it is benign, or friendly to the company you’re leaving

• Always leave yourself the option of returning to the company you’re leaving (just in case)

Basically - do the opposite of what I did, and you’ll be just fine!

This article was a guest post by Julian Davies, a seasoned software architect with over 25 years of experience. Julian has cultivated his expertise across various sectors, from developing scalable cloud solutions at a leading fintech firm to crafting innovative mobile applications for emerging startups. When not immersed in the intricacies of code and system design, Julian enjoys exploring the Austin music scene, mainly the hidden jazz clubs of his city.